Welcome to Whiskydev’s Advent Calendar. If this is your first year here welcome if it is not welcome back. We have 25 interesting whiskies for you to sample some are hard to find, some are lesser known, some are common but usually not purchased but all are tasty. First I would like to start out with an apology to all you peat heads this year is not going to be your year unfortunately. I do try to balance the calendar with peated and non-peated offerings. This year as there are no prefilled bottles I was left more to select at random what I wanted in the calendar. As I do this from January to Mid November I sometimes forget what I have gotten. Such was the case this year and surprise surprise when I think what sounds tasty is not peated offerings, but don’t worry too much instead of just shy of 50/50 it more like a regular tasting at 60/40. But that is enough rambling let’s talk about today’s whisky. Today’s whisky is a odd one and something that I though was fun to start things off as its shows just some of the possibilities of surprises that you can expect from the calendar. Today’s whisky tastes like some kind of strange combination of a gin and a whisky let’s dig in and enjoy!
Whisky
Country: Scotland
Age: NAS
ABV: 50%
Profile
Old Perth was historically a blend of Speyside, Highland and Islay malts along with North British grain, aged up to 12 years. The blender Peter Thomson had a strong relationship with Macallan distillery, so the Speyside’s malt was included as well. In latter years the proportions and ages of each constituent were decided by David Thomson, Peter’s son, and then blended at the company’s premises in Perth. All the company
directors approved the blend before release, its core market mainly hotels and bars in Scotland.
Today the brand is owned by independent bottler Morrison & Mackay, with the core bottling now a blended malt – Old Perth Original (Release No 4) – built around ex-Bourbon matured Aultmore. All the constituents are aged between four to six years to create an approachable, sweet and ‘moreish’ dram. Other expressions available include Old Perth Sherry Cask and Old Perth Peaty, all of which are bottled at 43% abv.
History
Peter Thomson started out in the grocery, wine and spirits business in Perth in 1908 and very soon established his own whisky blends. One of these was Old Perth, which proved popular in the on-trade throughout its existence. As the company evolved into a wholesale agency and wine and spirits distributor, Old Perth was somewhat sidelined by its stablemate Beneagles, so Thomson’s travellers incentivised deals with customers by including a bottle of Old Perth with every case of Beneagles.
By 1969 sales of Old Perth were stagnant, although it was recorded that due to the high malt content (and inclusion of the Macallan), it was regarded as one of the best blends available.
In 1973 the retail side of the business was wound up to concentrate solely on wholesale and distribution. Old Perth was eventually replaced in Peter Thomson’s portfolio by Beneagles Deluxe due to the latter’s growing success.
In 1983 the company was sold to the Stakis organisation which then sold Peter Thomson (Perth) Ltd on in 1985 to Leith-based Charles Mackinlay & Co., the sister company of Waverley Vintners Limited, owned by Scottish & Newcastle Breweries plc. Later that year Mackinlay was acquired by Invergordon Distillers which itself later became part of Whyte & Mackay.
In 2014 Morrison & Mackay expanded into Scotch blending with the acquisition of the Old Perth brand, which it re-launched as an ex-Sherry cask matured blended malt.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Hint of peat smoke, Grilled fruits, Apple pie, Nutmeg
Taste: Syrupy-sweet, A burst of white pepper, Coriander seeds, Cardamom,
Finish: Lingering spices, Fruity touches,